Various types, styles and arrangements of spray nozzles are used in vehicle washing installations for supplying a high pressure water spray containing various chemical compounds against surfaces of the vehicle to clean the vehicle as it moves past the nozzles or as the nozzles are moved with respect to the vehicle. These spray nozzles may be fixed and directed in a predetermined direction for spraying specific generally constant surfaces of a vehicle such as the sides, hoods or roof and achieve a generally satisfactory result. However, certain areas of a vehicle such as the rocker panels, wheels and other irregular surfaces are difficult to satisfactorily clean by fixed nozzles and spray pattern due to the different surface configurations of such rocker panels and wheels for the various vehicles processed in a car wash facility.
One method and device for efficiently cleaning these irregular vehicle surfaces is to use a movable nozzle such as an oscillator or rotary nozzle. These nozzles will increase the area covered by the spray so that it will reach the irregular surfaces and effectively clean the same. Prior rotary nozzles consist of a plurality of spray nozzles directed at various angles toward the vehicle surface which are rotated by a pneumatic motor, electric motor, hydraulic motor, or the like. Use of such motors for supplying the rotary power to the nozzles require components and control equipment such as electric or pneumatic solenoids, a supply of electricity or hydraulic fluid and control valves therefor. These components are subject to increased maintainence and associated increased cost to operate due to the harsh environment of the car wash installation in which these additional components operate.
A common maintenence problem encountered in motors, and especially in electric motors, is failure of the motor due to exposure to moisture. The motor of a rotary spray device in a car wash installation typically is exposed to such moisture in the form of the high pressure fluid sprayed from the nozzles or a fluid leak in another component of the spray device. Furthermore, during high traffic periods the motor of the device runs continuously for extended time periods. Such continuous running of the motor can cause excessive heat build-up therein leading to motor failure if an effective cooling system is not provided for the motor.
These facts pose a dilemma to anyone attempting to use certain motors to power rotary spray nozzles in a car wash facility. That is, in order to protect the motor from the high pressure spray fluid it must be mounted in a generally liquid-tight housing which shields the motor from the spray fluid. However, such housings prevent heat generated by the motor from escaping causing overheating of the motor. Mounting the motor in a manner which exposes it to the ambient air in the car wash installation will cool the motor, but also exposes it to the fluid spray which can cause maintainence problems such as a short circuit in an electrical motor.
Therefore, the need has existed for a rotary spray device in which the motor for supplying the rotary power to the spray nozzles is mounted in such a manner as to protect the motor from the high pressure spray fluid without causing overheating of the motor or requiring a separate cooling system therefor. There is no known rotary spray device of which we are aware which accomplishes this result other than our invention described in detail below.